Hello All,
Wasnt sure where to ask this, its not Mercedes, or even car related..but kinda is...
So in the 'tuner' world, we now have people putting out "standalone ECUs" - a computery box, with open-source or otherwise accessible software, that you can plug into the car where the factory ECU was. Big names right now are "Megasquirt" and "Speeduino"

I ran across a guy making a small, 1 cyl standalone system called nanoEFI (https://www.nanoefi.com/ )

He's still early in development, but I love this idea - every cheap small engine comes with a basic carburetor, which is often the most problematic part. Now, attaching a standalone ECU doesn't make things simpler or cheaper, but I like the "easier starting" and "more efficient" potential here.

My problem is this (and I'm only half serious, but still like the idea) - If I wanted to put a standalone on my lawnmower (just to see if I could do it) Id need a 5v or 12v power source - which most simple small engines dont have.

Small engines (think 5hp Briggs and Stratton) do have a flywheel with a magneto.

I could just attach a 12v UPS battery, but I'd have no way to charge it, unless I could use the magneto (or somehow attach magnets to the flywheel and use it to make power???)

Has anyone ever tried to make a usable charging circuit out of the magnets on a magneto-type ignition ? (doesnt need to be 12v, could be 6vdc if that'd work better)

thoughts ?

-John

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